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A tractor-trailer accident on Interstate 81 in Washington County, Virginia Tuesday sent two people to the hospital and shut down the southbound lanes for several hours. The accident happened at approximately 3 am, near mile marker 19 in Abingdon.

According to Virginia State Police, a flatbed tractor-trailer – that was hauling siding - was hit from behind by a second tractor-trailer. The impact caused part of the siding to fall off the truck and onto the highway. Both the 28-year-old driver of the flatbed and the 54-year-old driver of the other truck were transported to Johnston Memorial Hospital for injuries, however, police say those injuries were non-life-threatening.

The impact also caused one of the truck’s gas tanks to rupture, spilling diesel fuel. The local hazmat team was called in to contain and clean up the leaking fuel.

Police are still investigating the crash, however, they have charged the driver of the second tractor-trailer with failing to maintain control of his vehicle.

The Large Truck Crash Causation Study

According to the Large Truck Crash Causation Study which was conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), almost 20 percent of all tractor-trailer crashes that happen every year are rear-end crashes. The amount of time it takes for a tractor trailer to slow down or stop when the brakes are hit is much longer than other types of motor vehicles. A truck driver who fails to adjust his driving to take that extra time to stop in consideration puts everyone on the road around him at risk.

There are several common factors that appear to cause rear-end tractor-trailer crashes, including:

Bad weather;

Distracted driving;

Driver fatigue;

Drug or alcohol use;

Mechanical failure; and

Speeding.

Contact a Virginia Truck Accident Attorney

The injuries from a tractor-trailer crash can be more serious and long-term than other vehicle crashes because of the size and massive weights of these trucks. If you have been injured in a truck accident, contact an experienced Virginia truck accident attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have against the driver of the truck that hit you, as well as the trucking company he or she works for. Our Va. personal injury attorneys have successfully represented many truck accident victims and understand how devastating these cases can be.